Tamperproof container and cap assembly

ABSTRACT

A tamperproof container and cap assembly in which the container carries a circumferential radially extending flange which cooperates with the skirt of the cap to prevent the cap from being removed until a portion of the cap skirt is removed. The cap skirt has a circumferential frangible section formed by an internal groove. A pair of spaced lugs are carried by the skirt and a frangible membrane couples the spaced lugs to the frangible section and to each other. The lugs are spaced a sufficient distance to permit the insertion of a tool which may be operated to force the lugs apart thereby breaking the frangible membrane, with one of the lugs forming a pull tab. The pull tab is operative when pulled to cause removal of a portion of the cap skirt, thereby allowing access to the cap for removal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention concerns a tamperproof container and cap assembly and,more particularly, an assembly in which once the cap and container areassembled, a portion of the cap must be torn away in order for the capto be readily removed from the container.

Many types of tamperproof container and cap assemblies are in use today.One type of prior art assembly includes a cap having a tear-away portionwhich, after being torn away, permits simple removal of the cap from thecontainer. An example of such a system is disclosed in Rowe, et al. U.S.Pat. No. 3,831,798. Another example is disclosed in Carvalho U.S. Pat.No. 1,685,227. One of the problems associated with these structures,however, is that it is not difficult to remove the cap from thecontainer without first tearing off the tear strip. This is becauseaccess to the most downwardly extending portion of the cap is readilyaccessible, thereby allowing the cap to be pried up and removed from thecontainer without first tearing the tear strip. As a result, the type ofsystems disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,831,798 and 1,685,227 may not beconsidered tamperproof systems because there is no positive evidencethat the system has been tampered with if the cap is removed withoutfirst tearing off the tear strip.

One type of system in which there is positive evidence of tampering isdisclosed in Acton, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,771. In the Acton, et al.system, the container carries a radially extending circumferentialflange which cooperates with a tamper indicating band to prohibit accessto the cap until the tamper indicating band is removed. One of thedisadvantages of the Acton, et al. closure cap, however, is that it isformed in a three-piece construction, requiring complex tooling.Further, for certain applications the Acton, et al. system might beconsidered unattractive in appearance, in contrast to another type ofclosure cap which is attractive and might enhance sales.

A container and cap assembly of the type disclosed in Rowe, et al. U.S.Pat. No. 3,831,798 and Carvalho U.S. Pat. No. 1,685,227 is presently inuse with respect to plastic orange juice containers. Although this priorart orange juice container and cap assembly is not identical inconstruction to the systems disclosed in these patents, it has thecommon disadvantage that the possibility of removing the cap withoutfirst tearing off the tear strip exists. In order to obviate thisproblem, another prior art system, known as the Rigid-Pak system, hasbeen developed for use with respect to plastic orange juice containers.The prior art Rigid-Pak system incorporates a circumferential flangewhich extends radially from the container and prevents access to the capfor removal until the tear strip is first torn off. The Rigid-Pakclosure, like the Acton, et al. closure, enables manual grasping of thetear strip for removal thereof. This enables persons at the point ofpurchase to remove the tear strip without tools, which in certaininstances is undesirable. In addition, the Rigid-Pak closure iscompletely reclosable because the frangible portion of the cap islocated in such a place that removal of the cap will generally notdestroy the reclosing ability of the cap. In certain instances, it isdesirable that the closure be a one-use closure instead of beingcontinually reclosable.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide acontainer and cap assembly in which the cap cannot be pried off thecontainer without first removing a tear strip.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container andcap assembly in which the container has a circumferential flangeextending radially therefrom and cooperating with a tamper indicatingtear strip to prevent the cap from being pried off without firstremoving the tamper indicating tear strip.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a container andcap assembly in which a tool, such as a household implement, is requiredin order to provide gripping access to the tear strip.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide acontainer and cap assembly which tends to draw an operator away fromreclosing the system once the cap has been removed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container andcap assembly which could be used with respect to a plastic orange juicecontainer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container andcap assembly which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture andpreferably can be produced with simple open and closed type tools, notrequiring side actions, cams, collapsible cores, sealoffs (other thanthose at customary parting lines), or any other secondary mechanicalcontrivance.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide acontainer and cap assembly which is attractive in appearance and simplein use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent as the description proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a tamperproof container andcap assembly is provided including a container having a sidewall with atop rim defining an opening. The improvement includes a circumferentialflange extending radially from the sidewall.

A cap is provided comprising a top closure surface, an inner wall, a topwall and an outer wall. The inner wall, top wall and outer wall have aninverted U-shape and are located for engagement with the rim. The outerwall has a distal end which is located adjacent the container flangewhen the cap is in its closed position on the container. The cap anddistal end are positioned to prevent access to the cap for removal.

The outer wall of the cap defines a circumferential frangible sectionhaving a cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than thecross-sectional dimension of the major portion of the outer wall.

A pair of spaced lugs are carried by the outer wall, and a frangiblemembrane couples the spaced lugs to the outer wall frangible section.The lugs are spaced a sufficient distance to permit the insertion of atool which may be operated to force the lugs apart, thereby breaking thefrangible membrane. Thus one of the lugs forms a pull tab with the pulltab being operative when pulled to cause removal of the portion of theouter wall between the frangible section and the distal end, therebyallowing access to the cap for removal.

A more detailed explanation of the invention is provided in thefollowing description and claims, and is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container and cap assembly constructedin accordance with the principles of the present invention, just priorto removal of the tear strip;

FIG. 2 is a similar view to the view of FIG. 1, except that a portion ofthe tear strip has been torn from the cap;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a container and cap assembly constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation thereof;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged cross-sectional view taken along theplane of the line 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view thereof, takenalong the plane of the line 6--6 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the cap closure lugs, the viewbeing taken upwardly from below FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a plastic orange juice container and capassembly is shown therein. It is to be understood, however, that thepresent invention is not limited to plastic orange juice containers.

The container includes a vertical sidewall portion 10, a dished bottom12, and an annular rim portion 14 at the top of the sidewall portion 10and defining a circular opening at the top of the container. As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, at the junction of sidewall 10 and rim 14 the containercarries a circumferential radially extending flange 16 and at the top ofrim 14 there is a radially extending cap-engaging circumferential bead18.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cap 20 includes a topclosure portion 22, an annular inner wall 24, an annular top wall 26 anda circumferential outer wall (or skirt) 28. Inner wall 24, top wall 26and outer wall 28 have an inverted U-shape configuration and theexternal diameter of the inner wall 24 is such that it forms a plug fitwith the internal diameter of the container. If desired, inner wall 24could take the form of an annular rib which projects downwardly from alid.

The interior of outer wall 28 defines a circumferential groove 30 whichforms a shoulder 32 for cooperation with annular bead 18. When cap 20 isin its closed position upon the container, as shown in FIG. 5 shoulder32 underlies the bottom portion of bead 18 thereby enhancing theconnection of the cap to the container. Groove 30 also acts to define afrangible section 34 which extends the entire circumference of the outerwall and has a cross-sectional dimension that is far less than thecross-sectional dimension of the major portion of the outer wall. As aspecific example, although no limitation is intended, frangible section34 is 0.005 inch in thickness.

A pair of lugs 36, 38 are formed integrally with cap 20, which ispreferably a unitary, one-piece integrally formed plastic molded unit.Lugs 36, 38 each have a radially extending portion which is spaced fromthe other (as shown most clearly in FIGS. 1-3), to enable a tool, suchas a spoon 40, to be inserted between the spaced lugs and twisted,thereby breaking the membrane and providing a tear strip 42 (FIG. 2)which is torn off by the operator. The severance line 44 is thefrangible section 34 which is broken as the tear strip 42 is pulledcircumferentially around the container.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 6 and 7, a membrane 46 connects lugs 36and 38 to frangible section 34 and to each other. Membrane 46 preferablyhas the same thickness as frangible section 34 which, in a specificexample (although no limitation is intended), is 0.005 inch. Referringto FIGS. 6 and 7, it can be seen that an undercut 48 is defined at thearea at which lugs 36, 38 are formed, in order to enable the tearing oftear strip 42 to commence once membrane 46 is severed.

Referring to FIG. 5, it can be seen that once the portion of outer wall28 below frangible section 34 is removed, shoulder 32 will no longer bepresent to provide the same secure closure engagement as previously. Inthis manner, the system is preferably not to be used as a reclosableassembly. Further, it can be seen that the lugs 36, 38 are dimensionedso that an operator cannot begin the tearing operation of the tear strip42 without first inserting an implement between the lugs. In thismanner, persons at the point of purchase will not be attracted to removethe tear strip. Since two separate lugs are used, the tearing of thestrip can easily be accomplished by right and left-handed persons, in aconventional manner.

It can further be seen that once the tear strip 42 is removed, a majorportion of the outer wall of the cap has been removed, thereby readilyevidencing tampering. Until tear strip 42 is removed, when the cap is inits closed position on the container, the distal end 50 of outer wall 28is so close to the top 52 of circumferential flange 16 that access tothe cap for removal without first removing tear strip 42 is prevented.

Although an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that various modifications andsubstitutions may be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the novel spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A tamperproof container and cap assemblyincluding a container having a sidewall with a top rim defining anopening, the improvement comprising: a peripheral flange extendingradially from the sidewall; a cap comprising a top closure surface, aninner wall, a top wall and an outer wall, said inner wall, top wall andouter wall having an inverted U-shape and being located for engagementwith said rim; said outer wall having a distal end which verticallyoverlies and is located adjacent said container flange when the cap isin its closed position on the container, with the cap and distal endbeing positioned to prevent access to the cap for removal; said outerwall defining a frangible section having a cross-sectional dimensionthat is smaller than the cross-sectional dimension of the major portionof said outer wall, a peripheral cap-engaging bead extending radiallyfrom said container rim above said peripheral flange; said outer walldefining an internal shoulder for cooperation with said cap-engagingbead and being located intermediate said frangible section and saiddistal end; said frangible section being located for positioningadjacent said cap-engaging bead when the cap is in its closed positionon the container; a pair of spaced lugs carried by said outer wall, afrangible membrane coupling said spaced lugs to said outer wallfrangible section, said lugs being spaced a sufficient distance topermit the insertion of a tool which may be operated to force said lugsapart thereby breaking said frangible membrane, with one of said lugsforming a pull tab, said pull tab being operative when pulled to causeremoval of the portion of the outer wall between the frangible sectionand the distal end, thereby allowing access to the cap for removal.
 2. Atamperproof container and cap assembly as described in claim 1, saidfrangible membrane coupling said spaced lugs to each other, with saidcap comprising a one-piece integrally formed molded unit.
 3. Atamperproof container and cap assembly including a plastic containerhaving a sidewall with a top rim defining an opening, and a cap-engagingbead extending radially from said rim, the improvement comprising: saidcontainer carrying a peripheral flange which extends radially from thesidewall in a plane below said bead; a cap comprising a top closuresurface, an inner wall, a top wall and an outer wall, said inner wall,top wall and outer wall having an inverted U-shape and being located forengagement with said rim; said inner wall dimensioned to cooperate withsaid rim with a plug fit; said outer wall having a distal end whichvertically overlies and is located adjacent said container flange whenthe cap is in its closed position on the container, with the flange andthe distal end being positioned to prevent access to the cap forremoval; said outer wall defining an internal frangible section locatedadjacent said bead when the cap is in its closed position on thecontainer, said outer wall defining an internal shoulder for cooperationwith said cap-engaging bead and being located intermediate saidfrangible section and said distal end, said frangible section having across-sectional dimension that is smaller than the cross-sectionaldimension of the major portion of said outer wall; a pair of spaced lugscarried by said outer wall, a frangible membrane coupling said spacedlugs to said outer wall frangible section, said lugs being spaced asufficient distance to permit the insertion of a tool which may beoperated to force said lugs apart thereby breaking said frangiblemembrane, with one of said lugs forming a pull tab, said pull tab beingoperative when pulled to cause removal of the portion of the outer wallbetween the frangible section and the distal end, thereby allowingaccess to the cap for removal.
 4. A tamperproof container and capassembly as described in claim 5, said frangible membrane coupling saidspaced lugs to each other, with said cap comprising a one-pieceintegrally formed molded unit.